


Wishing Well

by Inkpot



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Gen, may or may not continue, mute Gadget the Wolf, rooted spirit Infinite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:54:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21624082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inkpot/pseuds/Inkpot
Summary: Infinite has been around for a while, but he doesn't understand the wolf that keeps visiting his well. And now he's curious.
Relationships: Gadget the Wolf & Infinite (Sonic Forces)
Kudos: 36





	Wishing Well

**Author's Note:**

> Originally thought up for a prompt, was a little late for that but I liked the idea enough to write it out anyway. Kind of open ended, several strings left untied, but I'm not sure if I'll end up actually continuing or not. I have some more ideas but right now zero energy so we shall see.

Infinite watched from the branches of a nearby tree as the mortal approached his well. This wolf had come once a week for some time now - not always on the same day, but never missing a week - just to drop a silver coin into the depths and leave.

It was a tradition, in these parts, to drop coins or jewels into the well and make a wish. Infinite didn’t know how the tradition had come about. He was the only spirit anchored to this particular well, and he’d never been in the business of granting wishes. His kind didn’t have any use for mortal currency, he didn’t much care for shiny things, and mortal gratitude was fleeting at best. He’d learned that much the hard way. But that didn’t stop the fools from spending their hard earned money on nothing more than hopes.

This particular fool seemed more determined than the rest. Most of them came once, maybe twice if they were a polite sort and wanted to thank the ‘wishing well spirit’ for its ‘blessing’. But the red wolf hadn’t ceased visiting for the last two moons. Always the same routine, never missing a week.

Just as always, Infinite watched him approach the well’s edge and toss a coin in before kneeling, eyes closed and forehead pressed to the stone. He stayed that way for a long moment before rising, eyes still fixed on the distant glimmers in the well’s depths. Infinite wondered idly what it was he was looking for.

The spirit flinched back when sunshine yellow eyes suddenly fell on him, gaze too focused to be an accident. The wolf shot him a bright smile, waved, and set off back up the path without a word.

Infinite stared after him in silence, eyes wide. That mortal had - he couldn’t have seen him, right? Mortals couldn’t see spirits unless the spirit took a form on their plane. So what had he been doing?

Infinite found himself stewing over the strange wolf for the next few days, making no progress in his thinking. He several times huffed and decided to move on, only to find himself revisiting the issue minutes if not seconds later.

Being a rooted spirit wasn’t the most exciting life; this was the most interesting thing to happen to him since that time some nobleman traveled outside his cosy manor to visit Infinite’s well. The memories of sending him and his entourage facefirst in the fresh spring mud - repeatedly - were enough to keep him amused for the next two decades. More pressingly at this moment, it meant Infinite couldn’t tear his thoughts away from this shiny new bit of intrigue.

The days until the wolf’s next visit seemed to creep by, each sun and moon seeming to slow further as if purely to spite him. He yelled unkind things at the sky spirits more than once, not that they paid him any mind. Watching and occasionally messing with forlorn lovers or village children wasn’t nearly as fun when he was busy waiting. It chafed at his forever fragile mental stability.

Finally, after far too long even for a being as long lived as he, the wolf returned. Infinite sat half concealed in his tree, almost vibrating with tension as he tracked the red figure walk down the path and repeat his ritual. Coin in, kneel with eyes closed. That was when he moved, dropping down behind the wolf without a sound and standing a pace behind him.

The wolf rose, head swiveling for a moment before he turned with a disappointed sigh, only to jerk back and catch himself on the stone border when he saw Infinite right behind him.

The spirit allowed himself an amused smirk before speaking. Mortals, honestly. “Hey there. You sure come here a lot.”

He hesitated, the alarm fading from his gaze bit by bit as he slowly pushed away from the wall and took a half step toward Infinite. His expression was more curious now, if a little wary. But he had yet to speak.

Infinite raised a brow, a bit annoyed at this apparent refusal. The mortal could see him, what more was there to do? “Well? Aren’t you going to say something?”

He wasn’t expecting the wolf to flinch back and half curl on himself before slowly shaking his head, but it did give him a moment of insight. “You can’t talk, can you?”

The wolf shook his head again, eyes fixed firmly on the ground.

“Cursed?” he asked with a mix of curiosity and empathy. Curses weren’t easy to deal with. But that got another head shake. “Just can’t talk then?” Nod.

Infinite hummed, thinking to himself. He wanted to interact with this mortal, and get to the bottom of his curiosity, but this posed some obvious complications. Still, he could be patient when he needed to. He’d spent enough time stuck to this well to learn some patience.

For now, though… “So you can’t give me your name… then I’ll just call you Red.” The wolf blinked at him, confused. “Cause your fur’s red, right? And you visit a lot so I have to have something to call you.”

After another moment of astonished staring, Red’s face split into a massive grin and he started nodding so rapidly Infinite wondered if his head would fall off, tail going just as fast.

“Okay, okay,” Infinite managed, both startled and sort of pleased by the obvious enthusiasm. “Anyway, you probably need to go right? You never stay here long.”

Red hesitated, then nodded again, this time his ears drooping in clear disappointment. Infinite sighed and reached up to ruffle his head fur. “I’ll see you sometime next week kid. Take care of yourself.”

Red brightened a bit and waved as he turned to head back up the path, an extra spring in his step that Infinite hadn’t seen before. The spirit smiled to himself, then let the smile drop as he sighed. He still had no idea why Red had been coming here, and finding out was going to be more of a challenge than he’d anticipated.

But that was okay. They had time.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr [here](https://lessinkmoregraphite.tumblr.com/).


End file.
